Display package

ABSTRACT

A display package is disclosed for containing a plurality of similar items having an opaque front surface with a color code indicative of the general type of items contained therein. The shape of the package has substantially the appearance of one of the plurality of similar items to indicate the specific contents of the package.

United States Patent [1 MacFarland, Jr.

[ DISPLAY PACKAGE [76] Inventor: Raymond W. MacFarland, .Ir., 9508 Fairmount Blvd. Novelty, Ohio 44072 [22] Filed: Sept. 18, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 289,978

[58] Field 01' Search 206/78 B, DIG. 7, DIG. 8, 206/DIG. 29, 457. 461, 462. 464, 465. 467. 468, 469, 459; 229/8; 40/310, 311. 312, 306

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 514,159 2/1894 Nelson 206/D1G. 7

747.368 12/1903 Boye i 206/16 R 1,490,341 4/1924 Olney 206/D1G. 7 2,813,624 11/1957 Phipps 206/470 2881824 5/1959 Riva 206/78 B UX 2,895,834 6/1959 Brav 206/457 3,157,280 11/1964 Perdue et al. 206/78 B June 10, 1975 Primary Examiner-Leonard Summer Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Woodling, Krost, Granger & Rust [57] ABSTRACT A display package is disclosed for containing a plurality of similar items having an opaque front surface with a color code indicative of the general type of items contained therein. The shape of the package has substantially the appearance of one of the plurality of similar items to indicate the specific contents of the package.

11 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUN 10 1915 P E3 238 349 saw 2 COL 0R SCQE W5 I NUT5 WA SHEES DE/LL5 m2: ms:

DISPLAY PACKAGE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The field of this invention relates to special receptacles and packages and more particularly to display packages.

The prior art has known many types of display apparatuses and display packages. With the advent of the age of plastics, the most recent developments in the packaging art have been the shrink packages and the blister-type packages. Each of these package types has the advantage that a purchaser can see the packaged item. These packages generally hold the items securely and can be produced in large quantities at an inexpensive price. However, the shrink and blister packages of the prior art have the disadvantage that they would not be what might be termed an attractive package. Most marketing experts will agree that one must package better to sell better." In addition, the shrink and blister packages of the prior art looked similar to one another irrespective of the contents and thus made locating a particular product difficult when a large number of packages are displayed.

Therefore, an object of this invention is to produce a display package having a colored front surface to be indicative of the general type of items packaged for easy location by a purchaser.

Another object of this invention is to produce a dis play package wherein the shape of the container is indicative of the specific type of items packaged and which is attractive to the purchaser.

Another object of this invention is to produce a display package which holds items securely.

Another object of this invention is to produce a display package which is a reuseable container.

Another object of this invention is to produce a display package with a transparent back surface for inspection of the items packaged.

Another object of this invention is to produce a display package which is inexpensive, yet sturdy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention may be incorporated in a reclosable display package containing a plurality of similar items for display on a display rack, comprising in combination: a substantially rigid molded plastic body member forming a hollow package to contain the plurality of similar items, said body member having a tab extending therefrom and lying in a plane, said tab having a support aperture for hanging the package from the rack, the portion of said body member located on one side of said plane being an opaque surface. each of the similar items having a substantially identical symmetry about less than three mutually perpendicular axes, an access aperture in said body member, a plug cooperating with said access aperture to secure to said access aperture to provide a reclosable access to the package, the shape of said opaque surface of said body member having substantially the appearance of one of the plurality of similar items to convey a visual impression of one of the plurality of similar items contained therein, and said opaque surface being color coded to further indicate a characteristic of the items in the package.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of a display package to contain hexagonal nuts;

FIG. 2 is a front view of a container to contain buttons;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front view of a display package to contain round head machine screws;

FIG. 5 is a side view of a display package to contain wood screws;

FIG. 6 is the back view of the display package shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view ofa variation ofa display package of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a front view and a variation of the display package shown in FIG. 7; and,

FIG. 9 shows a display apparatus containing display packages.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIGS. 1-9 illustrate the invention each showing a display package to contain a plurality of similar items which items are, by way of example, hexagonal nuts in FIG. 1. Each of these similar items have substantially identical symmetry about less than three mutually perpendicular axes. The display package comprises a substantially rigid body member 10 including front surface 11 and back surface 12. The surfaces 11 and I2 form a package to contain the plurality of similar items. In this example the front and back surfaces 11 and 12 each has a flange which are joined as a seam 25. The front and back surfaces 11 and 12 can be joined in any number of ways well known to the art such as fastening by heat, glue and the like. The front surface I1 is molded to be hollow to form the package. The body member 10 can be a single or a plurality of pieces formed or molded in the shape of a hexagonal nut to convey a visual impression to a purchaser of the con tents of the package. The color of the opaque front surface 11 is color-coded to be indicative of the general type of item packaged. For an example, in a display apparatus, the general category of screws is displayed by a color-code and the specific type of screws available, i.e. flat-head machine screws, round-head machine screws, wood screws, self-tapping screws, etc. are indicated by the shape of the container. In addition, a second color code can be incorporated to be indicative of the size of the item or the price. The color can either be intrinsic within the front surface 11 or be applied to a portion of the body member 10. Identifying indicia 23 which identifies the packaged item by size and material may also be included. The back surface 12 is made of a transparent material to allow inspection of the merchandise contained in the package. The package is shown having a tab 15 which tab extends from the body member 10 and lies in a plane through the body member 10. The tab 15 has a support aperture 16 for hanging the package from a display rack. The opaque surface of the body member 10 is located on at least one side of the imaginary plane of the tab 15.

FIG. 1 shows the package with an access aperture 17 in one of the surfaces; in this case, in both of the front and back surfaces 11 and 12. The access aperture 17 allows access to the items contained within the package. A plug 18 having a depressed groove 19 cooperates with the aperture 17 to close the package. When the plug 18 is pressed into the aperture 17, the bottom of the depressed groove 19 engages with the edge 20 of the aperture 17. The aperture I7 and removable and reclosable plug I8 makes the display package a reusable container.

FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of a display package having the shape of a button which is suitable for use at a notion counter. The color of the front surface 11 can be indicative of either the size, type or the color of the button. The display package has a tab with a support aperture 16 as described for FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the button package of FIG. 2 showing the cooperation of the plug I8 with the aperture of the display package. The edge of the aperture is in engagement with the bottom of the depressed groove 19 of the plug l8. In this embodiment the plug I8 is located on the back surface 12 whereas FIG. I shows the aperture as part of the front surface 11. In addition, the seam is adjacent to the back surface 12.

FIG. 4 illustrates a variation of the invention showing a display package containing a plurality of round head machine screws. The package has the three dimen sional shape ofa single round head machine screw with the body member 10 being completely opaque. In this embodiment the plug 18 engages with the aperture 17, which aperture is located on the bottom of the display package. The plug I8 could be located at the top of the display package in which case the plug 18 would include the round head portion of the machine screw. Excluding the tab 15, the display package 10 is substantially symmetrical about the axis of rotation of the round head machine screw.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a display package to contain a plurality of wood screws. FIG. 5 demonstrates that the shape of the display package is substantially one half of the three dimensional shape of a wood screw. The plug 18 is located in the back surface 12. The seam 25 is located adjacent to the back surface 12.

FIG. 6 is a back view of the display package in FIG. 5 showing the plug 18 as an elongated plug to accommodate the long length of the package.

FIG. 7 shows a variation of the invention for packaging rivets with the front surface 11 raised to have a protruding hollow portion 13 to form a package. The front surface 11 has holding tabs 21 and 22 to engage with and hold the back surface 12. FIG. 7 includes identifying indicia 23 which identifies the items by size and material.

FIG. 8 illustrates a variation of the display package of FIG. 7 which contains three separate packages of three separate but related items. The front surface 11 has three protruding hollow portions 13A-13C wherein the protruding hollow portion 13A contains a plurality of round head machine screws, the protruding hollow portion 138 contains a plurality of lock washers and the protruding hollow portion 13C contains a plurality of hexagonal nuts.

FIG. 9 illustrates a display apparatus comprising a display rack 26 having supports 27-29 extending therefrom. The display rack includes a color code table 31 which informs a purchaser of the general type of items available and the associated color code. A plurality of display packages 10 are supported by the supports 27-29 in separate rows by the nature of the item. A purchaser can approach the hardware display rack,

check the color code and immediately tell whether the general type of merchandise he desires is available by inspecting the display rack for the proper color.

After locating the general type of merchandise, the specific type of merchandise can be located by the shape of the display package. In a display rack as shown in FIG. 9 having only three columns of merchandise, a color and shape code system is unnecessary. However, most such display racks in modern self-serve stores comprise a large number of columns and rows in which case my invention is highly desirable. In many cases, the display racks are not kept in good order with the items being mixed or placed in the wrong positions. The system comprising a color code and the visual shape code eliminates many of the problems of locating articles in a complex or disorganized display rack.

Although the invention has been described for a display rack for hardware items, it is not to be construed as a limitation upon the subject matter of the items to be packaged. The invention is equally applicable to a notion counter or any other place where shrink or blister-type packaging has been used.

The present disclosure includes that contained in the appended claims, as well as that of the foregoing description. Although this invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

l. A reclosable display package containing a plurality of similar items for display on a display rack, comprising in combination:

a substantially rigid molded plastic body member forming a hollow package to contain the plurality of similar items,

said body member having a tab extending therefrom and lying in a substantially flat plane,

said tab having a support aperture for hanging the package from the rack,

at least a portion of said body member extending outwardly of said plane and having an opaque surface,

each of the similar items having a substantially identical symmetry about less than three mutually perpendicular axes,

an access aperture in said body member,

a plug cooperating with said access aperture to secure to said access aperture to provide a reclosable access to the package.

the shape of said opaque surface of said body member having substantially the appearance of one of the plurality of similar items to convey a visual impression of one of the plurality of similar items contained therein,

and said opaque surface being color coded to further indicate a characteristic of the items in the package.

2. A display package as set forth in claim 1, wherein said body member has the shape of substantially onehalf of the three dimensional shape of the item.

3. A display package as set forth in claim 6, wherein said body member includes a planar surface established substantially parallel to said plane of said tab.

4. A display package as set forth in claim 7, wherein said access aperture is located in said planar surface.

5. A display package as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plug includes a depressed groove around the perimeter of said plug to engage with the edge of said aperture.

6. A display package as set forth in claim 1, wherein a portion of said body member has a substantially cylindrical shape;

and said access aperture is located in an end of said cylindrical shape.

7. A display package as set forth in claim 6, wherein said tab is located on the curved side of said substan- 6 tially cylindrical shape.

8. A display package as set forth in claim 6, wherein said tab is located adjacent an end of said substantially cylindrical shape.

9. A display package as set forth in claim I, wherein at least a portion of said access aperture is located in said opaque surface.

10. A display package as set forth in claim 1, wherein said body member is a blister type package.

11. A display package as set forth in claim 1, wherein said color code indicates the size of item contained therein. 

1. A reclosable display package containing a plurality of similar items for display on a display rack, comprising in combination: a substantially rigid molded plastic body member forming a hollow package to contain the plurality of similar items, said body member having a tab extending therefrom and lying in a substantially flat plane, said tab having a support aperture for hanging the package from the rack, at least a portion of said body member extending outwardly of said plane and having an opaque surface, each of the similar items having a substantially identical symmetry about less than three mutually perpendicular axes, an access aperture in said body member, a plug cooperating with said access aperture to secure to said access aperture to provide a reclosable access to the package, the shape of said opaque surface of said body member having substantially the appearance of one of the plurality of similar items to convey a visual impression of one of the plurality of similar items contained therein, and said opaque surface being color coded to further indicate a characteristic of the items in the package.
 2. A display package as set forth in claim 1, wherein said body member has the shape of substantially one-half of the three dimensional shape of the item.
 3. A display package as set forth in claim 6, wherein said body member includes a planar surface established substantially parallel to said plane of said tab.
 4. A display package as set forth in claim 7, wherein said access aperture is located in said planar surface.
 5. A display package as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plug includes a depressed groove around the perimeter of said plug to engage with the edge of said aperture.
 6. A display package as set forth in claim 1, wherein a portion of said body member has a substantially cylindrical shape; and said access aperture is located in an end of said cylindrical shape.
 7. A display package as set forth in claim 6, wherein said tab is located on the curved side of said substantially cylindrical shape.
 8. A display package as set forth in claim 6, wherein said tab is located adjacent an end of said substantially cylindrical shape.
 9. A display package as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said access aperture is located in said opaque surface.
 10. A display package as set forth in claim 1, wherein said body member is a blister type package.
 11. A display package as set forth in claim 1, wherein said color code indicates the size of item contained therein. 